Lone Traveler

In A Storm of Swords, Bran is given aid by a fellow traveler. In his next chapter, Bran sees a traveler he could similarly help. The old man with an old horse is sheltering in the wreckage where the inn used to be, to use its fire place, and Bran is in a tower with a hidden entry way. Though they'd like to, Bran's party does not invite the man to join them because their secret identities are too important. He might tell someone. Soon after, Jon is required to kill the same man for the same reason. He might tell someone. Jon refuses and escapes, with Summer's help.

The lone traveler figures as a symbol of any man, suggesting strangers welcome each other and share their fires. The scene with Jon at Queenscrown echoes the one in which Jon spared Ygritte, who was supposed to be killed so she couldn't report their location to Mance Rayder. Jon spared Ygritte and she proved his staunchest supporter. Ironically, it was the man he killed who immediately warned Mance of their location. Orell was a warg, so his sentience passed into his eagle. Orell leads Rattleshirt to Jon, easily confirms that Jon and Qhorin have gone through the Mountain, and later attacks Jon's face.

Lone Traveler also contributes to the important Broken Man theme.

19 AGOT Catelyn IV: When Catelyn is seized by gold cloaks, it demonstrates how vulnerable she has made herself by travelling with such a small escort. Subthemes: Locals Are Dangerous

38 AGOT Bran V: Bran sets out with a group for protection, but is taken hostage once left alone.

41 AGOT Catelyn VII: The High Road is a death sentence. Subthemes: Locals Are Dangerous

42 AGOT Jon V: Jon rides alone to the kingsroad to consider his direction in life. Rather than choosing to be alone in life, Jon sees that Sam is similarly homeless and chooses him as family over going it alone.

43 AGOT Tyrion VI: Bronn threatens to take both horses and leave Tyrion to die, since his proposed wy of doing things is going to get them both killed.

66 AGOT Arya V: Trapped in King's Landing alone, Arya is more than usually vulnerable. There are all manner of thieves and predators in the city. She'd be safer in the wilderness. Subthemes: Locals Are Dangerous

71 AGOT Jon IX: When Jon deserts, he expects his journey to be dangerous and to never be able to join society again.

83 ACOK 10 Arya III: Arya considers leaving Yoren's slow party behind to ride alone for Winterfell. She decides it's too dangerous. The group has scouts and sets watches for sleeping.

86 ACOK 13 Daenerys I: Dany sends each of her bloodriders with three horses to explore directions so they'll know what to try for. Scouts may be a counter example of lone traveler, since scouts are part of a larger group.

89 ACOK 16 Tyrion III: Varys and Tyrion travel alone in disguise. Varys says his own disguise is for safety, Tyrion's to throw off spies.

92 ACOK 19 Sansa II: Cloaked in shadow, Sansa steals to the godswood at night for her first secret meeting with Dontos.

108 ACOK 35 Jon IV: Ghost ranges, but the Night's Watch rangers have been ordered to keep their scouting close. It's dangerous out there. Subthemes: Locals Are Dangerous

110 ACOK 37 Tyrion VIII: To send Littlefinger to Bitterbridge, he'll need escort.

122 ACOK 49 Daenerys IV: Dany is not permitted to bring her entourage into the House of the Undying. She was supposed to go alone. Breaking that rule by bringing Drogon with saved her.

135 ACOK 62 Tyrion XIV: "His wedge was goe; every man was his own battle now." 854 Tyrion experienced battle as a solitary at the Green Fork, too.

136 ACOK 63 Sansa VII: The Hound knows how vulnerable he will be as a lone traveler. With Sansa and some lies, he becomes an official on business and can pretend not to be a lone traveler.

142 ACOK 69 Jon VIII: Qhorin sends Stonesnake to report to Mormont as a way to give him a chance at survival. All three, really. "he has no chance, Jon thought when he watched Stonesnake vanish over a snow-covered ridge, a tiny black bug croawling across a rippling expanse of white." 944

145 ASOS 2 Jaime I: The roads and rivers are more dangerous than ever, since various feuding militias still war.

146 ASOS 3 Catelyn I: Edmure is confident his bounty will bring Jaime in. Men all over the riverlands will be watching. Subthemes: Locals Are Dangerous

147 ASOS 4 Arya I: Arya has her party leave the path to walk in the bed of the first stream they come to, to throw off dogs. "There is death on the road, she told herself, death on all the roads." 44 Subthemes: Roads Are Dangerous

149 ASOS 6 Davos I: Exposure alone can kill a man.

153 ASOS 10 Bran I:Bran & party are safe in Tumbledown Tower. There's shelter, solitude and game. However, war makes it dangerous everywhere. Jojen says they should start north tomorrow despite the danger of capture, to take Bran to his teacher beyond the Wall. Though Meera argues, she defers to Bran. He sees that Jojen is right: every safety is as if they'd never left the crypts. Better to brave the risks associated with growth than settle and die.

155 ASOS 12 Jaime II: The inn has new keepers and they seem likely to be in league with a band of outlaws. Sometimes locals prey on travelers. Subthemes: Locals Are Dangerous

157 ASOS 14 Arya II: Arya's group made themselves vulnerable leaving the woods to rummage through Old Pate's garden.

168 ASOS 25 Bran II: In a storm they find a cave. The man there invites them in, shares his fire and food and tells them it used to be safe for travelers when there was a Stark in Winterfell.

178 ASOS 35 Arya VI: The Hound is taken sleeping under a tree.

183 ASOS 40 Arya VII: The Hound finds the Brotherhood to say he wants his gold back. They send him packing empty handed.

184 ASOS 41 Bran III: A lone traveller shelters in the ruin of the inn at Queenscrown. Later, armed men arrive and feed the fire.

185 ASOS 42 Jon V: Jon refuses to kill the lone traveler when commanded to by Styr. Jon knows the old man has no harm in him, but that he, himself intends to play the role Styr pretends the lone traveler will. Yet, he is surrounded by their swords.

188 ASOS 45 Jaime VI: When Jaime was commanded to return to King's Landing after being invested into the kingsguard, he traveled alone in his white cloak, anticipating no obstacles.

190 ASOS 47 Samwell III: Walking beside Gilly on her garron with baby, Sam feels how vulnerable they are.

191 ASOS 48 Arya IX: The Hound has become a homeless hedge knight/brigand: a broken man or close to it.

192 ASOS 49 Jon VI: Jon travels wounded and might have died had he not demanded a rew horse at Mole's Town.

194 ASOS 51 Arya X: "A farmer chance-met on the kingsroad had provided them with wagon, horses, garb, and casks, though not willingly." 688

209 ASOS 66 Arya XII: Arya and the Hound find a man dying in an earthen hollow. He is relieved to accept the Hound's offer of mercy.

225 ASOS 82 Merrett Frey Epilogue: Merrett Frey brings the gold to ransom Petyr Pimple. A lone man, he is robbed and hung, like the one before him.

235 AFFC 10 Brienne II: When Brienne catches Podrick following her, each a lone traveler on a dangerous road, she says "This road is too dangerous for a boy alone." "Not for a squire," he replies.

246 AFFC 21 Brienne IV: When Podrick first spots Ser Hyle, he's only identifiable as "a rider." Brienne worries Nimble Dick may take them to a robber's den. Subthemes: Locals Are Dangerous

281 ADWD 10 Davos I: Davos was released in a rowboat at the Sisters when Sallador Saan abandoned Stannis. Though he could row himself to shore, he was picked up by the local lord and is totally vulnerable to his whim. Subthemes: Locals Are Dangerous

287 ADWD 16 Davos II: It benefits Davos to be a lone traveler as king's Hand, since he can pass for a sailor that way.

291 ADWD 20 Davos III: With only his seal of office to identify him, Davos is accused of coming as a smuggler.

292 ADWD 21 Reek II: Reek is more readily allowed to parlay with the ironborn left to hold Moat Cailin because only one man. In his role as envoy, he is incredibly vulnerable.

302 ADWD 31 Daenerys V: A lone rider is an ill omen when the bloody flux comes to Meereen.

311 ADWD 40 Jon VIII: Val ranges north alone on a half-blind horse to find Tormund.

316 ADWD 45 Jon IX: A girl arrives on a dying horse, as in Melisandre's vision.

320 ADWD 49 Jaime I: Brienne arrives alone at Jaime's camp, looking harried. "She rode up bold as you please, demanding words with you." 707

343 ADWD 72 Daenerys X: Lost, alone, on foot in the Dothraki Sea, Dany knows she would make a meal for a wolf or lion.

Related Subthemes: Roads Are Dangerous, Locals Are Dangerous,